Independent participatory media for Iran

Iran’s Foreign Minister says his country has every right to develop nuclear energy and it will not be pushed around by the U.S.

Ali Akbar Salehi told IRNA today: “The West thinks that Iran, like several other countries, will succumb to U.S. pressures, but this belief is erroneous.”

Salehi said in reference to international sanctions against Iran: “Western countries have been pressuring Iran for more than 33 years and imposing sanctions on various Iranian sectors such as our banks. These sanctions may create minor problems for us but they will not deter us from continuing on our path.”

The United States and the EU have imposed sanctions on Iranian financial institutions and petroleum exports in order to make Iran follow Western demands regarding its nuclear activities.

Salehi added: “Even Iranians living outside Iran with critical views about the Islamic Republic government, are adamant about Iran’s right to the peaceful exploitation of nuclear energy.”

The West claims Iran may be pursuing nuclear weapons, but Iran insists that its nuclear activities are peaceful and it has no desire to build nuclear bombs.